Arctic temperature was 1.24 degrees above 10-year norm in 2024 - Rosgidromet

MOSCOW. July 4 (Interfax) - Last year was the warmest in Russia's Arctic zone, 1.24 degrees Celsius above the norm of the 1991-2020 base period, according to a "Review of the state and pollution of the environment in Russia in 2024," published by the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Rosgidromet).

"Temperatures above normal were observed across the Russian Arctic, except a small coastal strip in the Long Strait area. [...] The warmest conditions (95% extremes) were observed in Kola Peninsula, along the White Sea coast and in the Khatanga river basin," the document said.

The Russian Arctic is divided into three sectors: European (Murmansk region, Nenets Autonomous District and a part of the Arkhangelsk region), Siberian (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, Krasnoyarsk Territory and a part of Yakutia) and Eastern (Chukotka Autonomous District and the adjacent districts of Yakutia). Annual anomalies within their limits are +1.22, +1.73 and +0.69 degrees Celsius, respectively.

In the winter, the average temperature anomaly across the Russian Arctic was +1.24 degrees Celsius. Temperatures above the climate norm were observed on the Barents sea coast, especially across the Siberian sector (+2.57 degrees), in the downstream of the Indigirka and Alazeya rivers, on Chukchi Peninsula and in the basin of the Anadyr river; below normal: on Kola Peninsula, on the White Sea coast, in the downstream of the Lena and Yana rivers, and in the Kolyma river basin.

In the spring, the temperature anomaly was -0.49 degrees Celsius. Temperatures below normal were observed from Kola Peninsula to Central Siberian Plateau and east of Chaun Bay; above normal: in eastern Taymyr Peninsula and further eastward to Chaun Bay.

In the summer, the anomaly was +0.52 degrees Celsius. In a larger part of the Russian Arctic temperatures were above normal, except in coastal areas from Pechora Bay to the estuary of the Yenisei river and east of the Kolyma stream, where small negative anomalies were observed.

In the fall, the average temperature anomaly across the Russian Arctic was +2.28 degrees Celsius. Across the territory, temperatures were above the climate norm (except in the downstream of the Yana river). The warmest conditions were recorded in the European sector (+3.13 degrees Celsius), in western Siberian sector (+2.61 degrees Celsius) and in the basin of the Anadyr river.

The average annual temperature in the Russian Arctic has been rising since the 1970s, accelerating sharply in the 21st century, the review said. The fastest warming during 1976-2024 occurred in the Siberian sector, by +0.7 degrees Celsius over ten years.

Of particular interest are changes in air temperatures above the marine Arctic area where the warming process is accompanied by a reduction of the sea ice, which can affect the development of the Northern Sea Route.

"In the Siberian Arctic seas which the Northern Sea Route passes through, temperatures rose markedly in the 2010s. Data from meteorological stations on the coast and the islands show winter air temperatures rising there from 1970s to 2018 by six degrees Celsius, and by almost three degrees Celsius by the summer 2020. In 2021-2023, temperatures were down almost three degrees Celsius and one degree Celsius in summer, but started rising in 2024," the review said.